Hollow channel-brick and wall construction



RJB. COOPER.

HOLLOW CHANNEL BRICK AND WALL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. 1918.

1,847,538. e d uly 27, 1920.

v 4 /& Z0 2 a 1 L 1 5' :5

RICHARD BLAIR COOPER, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., A

ssxenon TO rrsxn & COMPANY,

moonrormrnn, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

HOLLOW CHANNEL-BRIOK AND WALL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27,1920.

Application filed December 14, 1918. Serial No. 266,676.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, RICHARD BLAIR Coornn, a citizen of the United States, and resldent of New York, New York, (whose post-ofiiceaddress is 2925 Bainbridge avenue, Bronx, New York city, New York,) have invented an Improvement in Hollow Channel- Brick and Wall Construction, of which the following description, inv connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like 'parts. 7 My present invention is an improved and novel form of hollow channel brick and of hollow wall construction built therefrom.

In the manufacture of hollow brick for building units, particularly in a brick sized building unit, adapted to match up with common brick and to interlock therewith at corners, piers, andthe like in a wall, it is most important to have such hollow brick sized building units of proper strength, as well as of light weight, and also to so design such building units as to produce a inoistureproof' wall with central air spaces interrupting the horizontal mortarcourses. It is also most important, in brick of this type, to provide means whereby the brick can be economically manufactured, safelly handled for drying, kiln burning, and rea ily transporting from the place of manufacture to the place of building. In the type of channel brick, illustrated by the prior U. S. Patents to A. Hardoncourt, Jr. No. 1,068,388, issued July 27, 1913, and to J. P. B. Fiske, No. 1,250,295, issued December 18, 1917, considerable difiiculty has been experienced in practice, because the channel brick of said patents were lacking n strength at the points where strength was required, 2'. e. at the outer parts of the ribs and at points throughout the wall where the body portion of the brick joined the wall sections at each wall face,and also such prior channel brick were wasteful of mortar. Important objects of the present invention therefore are to obviate the diflicultles experienced in practice with such prior channel brick and to so proportion and design a hollow building unit, of brick .size at its outer faces, of light weight, of great strength, and capable of being qulckly, easily, and economically built into a wa l, producing a hollow twin wall with inner air spaces interrupting the horizontal mortar courses throughout the wall. A further mportant object of my present invention is to prov1de such a channel brick for a bulldlng unit, that will be economical of the mortar and will also prevent waste of the mortar,by reducing the capacity of the mortar receiving channel and by providing means which will eliminate the danger or" the mason filling up the central air space of the wall, while also 'ving increased strength to the channel brick and to theresulting wall construction. In the type of channel brick and twin wall illustrated in said Fiske patent, the vertically extending ribs'or riblike portions in each wall section were freestanding and not braced, being liable to warp in drying and burning, utilizing a great deal more mortar in the twin wall than was needed, and therefore in m present improved type of channel brick provide pairs of riblike members for each.

wall section of brick and also a bracing member partially filling the space between such riblike portions, to save mortar and simultaneously divide the space between the ribs into a hollow air space anda mortar receiving channel which also strengthens and reinforces one or both of these riblike members in each wall section. I prefer to arrange this bracing member to reinforce the outer riblike portion, constituting the face of the brick near its upper edge and to reinforce adjacent the inner riblike member at the junction of the same with the body portion of the brick fui'thermore reinforcing the entire structure of'the wall, where the wall sections are united by the horizontally extending body portions of each brick this being a weak point in the prior channel brick and walls, as already briefly explained.

An additional important feature of my present brick to facilitate its use in building a wall, as well as to give added strength to the inner ribs in each twin wall portion, is

the provision for a central hand hold and also a broad bearing surface, so that the mason inpositioninga channel brick in the wall can press down on'thesame centrally while still having a good grip on the br e by the hand hold, thus straightening, alinln' and settling the same into the mortar be of the lower adjacent course of brick. This central portion, flush with, the wallportions, enables my channel brick to be piled and transported like common brick. To this end also, I prefer to form this part with slightly overhanging ridges, or undercut edges, which give an easy grip, interlock with the mortar and partially fill the mortar channel-thus reducing the mortar required. In myimproved type of hollow channel brick, I provide a lug which acts efiiciently as a moisture check in the wall, producing an interlock when desired, and which lug may be of just the ordinarythickness of the mortar course, so asto eliminate the operation .of removing same, at corners, when interlocking the hollow brick with common brick or when laying the lowermost course of brick. This lug also ma be of any de sired size to substantially fill and interlock with themortar channels in the lower course of the channel brick. These lugs are important and needful, serving to hold or space the channel brick from the off-bearing belt'of a brick 'making machine during the process of manufacture. 7

Referring to the drawings wherein I have illustrated two forms of my improved channel brick and wall construction;

Figure 1 is a View in cross section, illustrating the preferred form of manufacturing this type of channel brick as a duplex A or double block to be afterward divided into modified orm of brick and wall with an enlarged interlocking lug.

While I prefer to form my improved type of channel brick as a double block, as shown m Fig. l, for convenience in manufacturing and safety in drying, burning, stacking, and

transporting, yet it is perfectly feasible in my type of channel brick, to form the same as a single brick, since the vertically extending riblike members are braced and rious processes of manufacture.

strengthened, thus preventing the same from warping or being distorted, durin the va- This is a considerable advantage, as in many types of channel brick, it is impractical to make the same excepting as a double block, whereas I can employ either a double or single die. Referring to the drawings and as shown 1n Fig. 2,.my improved channel brick comprises two wall sections, each having verti= cally extending ribs and inclosing three hollow air spaces 1, 2 and 3, while providin mortar-receiving channels 5 and 6. Eac

wall section includes an outer riblike member 7 and an inner'riblike member 8 together with a bracing member 9, the la ter united of the sinat its upper edge with the outer rib 7, giving a comparatively broad mortar-receiving surface 10 and slanting across to the base of I the other rib 8, giving a considerable mass of brick material, as indicated at 11 and yet with a suitable depth forthe thumb and fingers of the mason, while leaving the mortar-receiving channels 5 and 6 1 open, thus forming the inclosed spaces 2 and 3. The

' terlockin means, and also holding the brick off the elt during manufacture. Inner webs 8, 8, are strengthened and united by a web 16, preferabl having the edges slightly overhanging at 1;, 17, to give a better grip or hand hold. This top member 16 may be extremely thin and of just sufiicient strength to firmly brace the inner riblike members 8, 8, and to provide the broad bearing surface desirable, when the mason is forcing and settling the brick into the mortar bed in the wall..

It will thusbe seen that my novel type of channel brick provides a brick sized building unit of extremely light weight, great strength. and capable of being built into a hollow wall with interrupted mortar joints, moisture checking lugs, interlocking devices, and with both inner and outer wall sections braced, the'bracing member for each wall section reducing the size of the mortarreceivin channels.

I preier to form this type of brick as a double or duplex block, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the cored sections in the die which form the two mortar-receiving channels 5 and 6, of Fig. 2, designated at 37 in Fig. 1, are provided with projecting portions 18, 18 just beyond the face of the die and carry between them the wire 19 to form the cut 20 between the web sections of each brick. I also score the edges of the double 7 esses of manufacture and during subsequent transportation, the integral portion of theblock left between the scoring 21 and 22 serving to hold the same together, but

permitting instant and accurate splitting. after the double block is burned. The small lugs 14.- and 15 furthermore do not project brick to beheld united during all the procsufliciently to endanger their being dam- 'would ordinarily be restedupon the end surfaces, particularly if lar er lugs, as shown in the modification of ig. 4:, were em loyed..

he improved channel brick of Figs. 1 and 2, when built into a wall, as shown in Fig. 3, thus provide strong wall sections at each outer face of the wall, giving a typicaltwin wall structure and yet with a minimum of" mortar filling the channel recesses, said mortar being interrupted by the inner air-spaces 26 and the top webs 16 preventing any waste of mortar by filling up the inner air spaces between the inner ribs 8 and 8. The lJ1gs-14= and 15 respectively serve to solidify and interlock with the mortar in the channels 5 and 6; often the short lugs projecting only'to an extent equal to the thickness of the horizontal mortar courses, and serving to deflect any moisture which may seep through the face of the mortar downwardly into the recesses 5 and- 6 and constituting an eflicient moisture check, as well as an interlock.

As illustrated inv Fig. 4, I have shown a modified form-wherein the lugs are enlarged, here-designated at 27 and 28, approximately filling the mortar recesses 5 and 6 and providing a still more efficient interlocking wall construction, as Well as displacing mortar and giving a substantial uniform depth for the zizag mortar course around the lugs 27 and 28, as shown. In

this modified form also, I illustrate the top.

plate 16 without the overhanging finger grips 17,, it being clearly understood that these latter. are optional, an eflicient hand hold being obtained by the depth of, the

mortar channels 5 I and 6, either with or without 'the projecting, overhangmg edges 17 as in my preferred form illustrated in Fi s. 1, 2, and 3.

' n both forms there is produced a stron light, hollow channel brick and a hollow we 1 construction of great strength and of substantially twin walls at each face with a bracing member for the vertically extending riblike portions of each wall section, this bracing member furthermore strengthening both' ribs of each wall section and saving mortar. The inner webs 8 are strengthened not only by the bracing members 9 and the increased mass of bIlCk material at 1 1, 11, but also by the top plate 16, said plate furthermore serving to give a suitable pressure surface to the mason when forcing the channel brick into position and be laid crosswise, or common brick can be" i ed to be laid horizontally, each brick having 15a" wall portion in each of the twin walls, each wall interlocked therewith atany point desired, with the form shown inFigJ 2. When the laid in reverse position, i. e, upside down,

the relatively small and shallow mortar "channels 5 and 6 being capable of com pletely filling with mortar in inverted position, whereas if said channel were of much greater depth, this iiiverting in the wall might beobjectionable as tending to leave undesired air spaces in the wall sections. In either position, however, the wall portions are braced, the space between the outer and inner rib or riblike part in each wall is divided by a bracing member into an air space and a mortar channel, the latter just the right depth for a convenient thumb and finger hold on the middle gripping portion, and the mortar-receiving capacity reduced. Also the outer rib face of each brick is protected from the mortar, eliminating the danger of peeling due to freezing, and givlng a wedge shaped mortar mass which is solidified by the lug of the next brick. My improved channel brick or block, as well as the wall constructed with the same, thus combines all the advantages of a light, hollow, brick sized building unit having open channels to receive the mortar and for the building of a twin wall together with the added advantages of hollow wall sections in the twin walls, and a strong braced construction throughout. I also believe that the novel process of manufacturing a double block, such as shown in Fig. 1, wire cutting a portion, 2'. e. the central portion, by leaving thin outer webs integral, is-a new method of manufacture and I wish to claim this feature also.

My present invention is further described.

and defined in the form of claims as follows: a

1. Hollow wall construction consisting of a plurality of channel .brick adapted to be laid horizontally, each brick having three horizontally extending air spaces, each outer air space being formed by a vertical riblike face of the brick and an inner bracing member forming an open mortar-receiving channel between said bracing member and the wall of the central hollow portion, mortar in said channels, projecting; lugs extending from the superimposed channel brick extending intolsaid. mortar, and horizontally extending air spaces interrupting the mortar joints transversely of the wall in addition to the hollow central portion of each channel brick. v l

2. Hollow wall construction consisting in twin walls comprising channel brick adaptortion including two vertically extended r bs and a bracing web extending ll'll twin walls comprising channel brick adapted to be laid horizontally, each brick having a wall portion in each of the twin walls, each wall portion including two vertically extended ribs and a bracing web extending from one of the ribs of each pair into the space between the pair and dividing said ribs into an open mortanreceiving channel and a horizontal air space, a middle bracing web uniting the inner ribs of each brick and adapted to interrupt the horizontal mortar courses, and mortar in said channels.

4. Channel brick of the kind described comprising a hollow wall portion at each side of the brick united by a central hollow portion and forming three parallel air spaces, each wall portion having a bracing web from the outer Wall face inc-lined inwardly to the central portion and leaving an open mortar-receiving channel.

5. Channel brick of the kind described comprising a hollow wall portion at each spaces, each wall portion having a slanting webuniting the upper edge of the outer wall portion with the inner and lower part of the adjacent central portion, and leaving an open mortar-receiving channel between said central portion and the inclined face of said slanting web.

6. Channel brick of the kind described comprising a hollow wall portion at each side of the brick united by a central body portion, each wall portion comprising a pair of spaced vertically extending ribs and an inclined bracing web extending from the upper part of one rib downward toward the lower part of the other rib, and forming with the former rib an air space and with the latter rib an open mortar receiving I channel.

7. A channel brick of the kind described having a body portion with a wall section at each edge, each wall section comprising a horizontal bottom web, two vertically extending, spaced ribs, and a bracing web be tween said vertical ribs dividing the space therebetween into a mortar recelving channel and an-air space. t

8. A channel brick of the kind described havinga horizontal body plate and a wall section at eaclredge, each wall section confprising a pair of vertically extending, spaced ribs, and a bracing web between the vertical ribs of each pair dividing the space therebetween into a mortar receiving channel and an air space, and a horizontal top web connecting the tops of the inner ribs of the two pairs of ribs.

9. A channel brick of the kind described comprising a body portion with a central projecting hand hold and a wall section near each edge of the body portion, said wall sections including two vertically extending ribs and a web bracing said ribs and dividing the space between them into a mortar-receiving channel and an air space, the central hand hold including the inner ribs of the wall sections and a horizontal web.

10. Channel brick of-the kind described comprising a body portion and three projecting hollow portions extending at right angles to said body portion and forming two open channels, all three portions being substantially equal in height, and the central portion having ridges overhanging the channels. I 11. Channel brick of the kind described comprising a body portion and twin wall portions at opposite faces, each wall portion including a pair of vertically extending ribs anda bracing web from the top of the outer rib to the base of the inner rib, strengthening the brick at the base of the mortar channel portion.

12. Channel brick of the kind described comprising a body portion and twin wall portions at opposite faces, each wall portion including a pair of vertically extending ribs and a bracing Web from the top of the outer rib to the base of the inner rib, forming a broad mortar bearing for said outer rib and a finger gripping depth adjacent the inner rib, the inner ribs being united, in addition to the body portion and having overhanging ridges projecting into the channels to reduce and interlock with the mortar and increase gripping of the central hand hold.

13. A channel brick of the kind described, comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections, a horizontal member joining said sections, each wall section comprising a pair of spaced vertically extending rib-like members, and a bracing member extending from one of the ribs of each pair and projecting into the space therebetween, said space serving as a mortar recess.

14. A channel brick of the kind described, comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections, arranged in pairs of rib- I like members, a horizontal reinforcing memrib of each pair extending from adjacent name to this specification in the presence of the top of the rib t0 the base and inclosing two subscribing witnesses. an air space therebetween, the space between RICH ALRD BL OOQPE'R the integral part of the outer rib and the 5 adjacent inner rib forming a mortar'chan- WVitnesses:

nel. ROBERT CUSHMAN, In testimony whereof I have signed my JAMES R. HODDER. 

